Universal Love
by NeverGivingUp
Summary: AU/AH. Caroline is a scientist at NASA, who has to train the first man that will go to Mars. Who might that be ? Klaus Mikaelson ! Will everything go as planned, or will that trip put everyone in danger ?


_**Well… This is a new story. I had this particular idea while I was watching TV and I thought it could make a nice story. It will be AU and AH. It is something entirely different, but I will try to make it as much truthful as I can. I am not abandoning my other fanfic, I will work on both of them.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

''Calm down, Caroline! It's not the end of the world!'', Elena tried to make her best friend relax after the big announcement.

''How am I even supposed to calm down, Elena? NASA decided to send someone to Mars and I am finding out about it at the same time as everyone else!''

Caroline Forbes was a very ambitious woman. She was a well-known scientist at NASA, helping with the astronauts' training from time to time. She was the only woman who had ever gotten such an important position at NASA and she was proud of it. Her young age was something that everyone was noticing in the beginning but her 27 years were now not only helping her, but encouraging her as well. She had a lifetime in front of her!

She felt disappointed when she realized that no one had informed her that a man was going to travel to Mars. She knew she could be helpful, she always had been. She made a mental note to talk to her boss.

Not even Elena's calm voice could make her relax. Caroline had met Elena when she was looking for an assistant, a person to help her out. Elena was more than willing to accept the job. They soon got to know each other and became best friends. Caroline was kind of teaching her as well. Elena loved Caroline's job and she was feeling grateful she could work with one of NASA's most precious scientists.

The two women were very different. Elena was calm and patient, while Caroline was a little impulsive, as well as an innovative thinker. But their personalities were not the only ones that differed. They looked really different, too. Elena was brunette, with brown eyes and a smile that could lighten someone's day. Caroline's skin was pale, her hair blonde and her blue eyes reflected her decisive character. They were like yin and yang. That was the something that was making them such great friends.

''Look, Elena, I get it that for you it is not so important but I am a little suspicious about what is going on here. I have to talk to Mr. Salvatore right now.'', she responded.

''Which one?'', Elena teased her.

''The boss, of course. Damon.''

''Caroline, maybe it was classified information after all. You may not have been supposed to know them anyway.'', Elena tried to change her mind. She knew how the boss could get when someone was questioning his decisions.

''I know that, Elena. But I've proven that I am not just any scientist. I've proven that I am more than dedicated to this job. I deserved to know.''

''Ok, then, I'll come with you.'', Elena said.

''Elena, I know that you like him…''

''I don't like him! I just want to make sure that you won't do anything stupid and get fired! That's why I want to come with you to the boss.''

Caroline didn't buy it. She knew that Elena had a secret crush on Damon Salvatore but that was not one of her priorities right now.

''Elena, if you come with me I will not have the chance to convince him that what he did was wrong. I want to take part to this man's training and Damon Salvatore is not going to stop me! He is a pain in the ass as he is. He will not say anything in front of you. So, please, Elena, do this for me. Just stay here.'', she finished. She knew how to represent strong arguments. It was part of the job.

''Ok.'', Elena backed off, ''Just promise me that you will just talk to him and anything else.''

''Oh, don't worry, Elena. I will not harass him in any way. I will leave the bad boy for you.'', Caroline said and gave her a naughty smile.

''Oh, shut up! Just go and do whatever you want.'', Elena responded, trying to look mad. But that didn't work with Caroline. She knew her better.

''I will.''

Caroline stepped out of her office (which didn't really looked like an office) and headed to the director's part of the building. Everyone was happy as well as confused after the announcement, because NASA had made it pretty clear a few months ago that they were far from sending someone to Mars. What had changed?

''Hey, Caroline, what's going on?'', she heard a familiar voice behind her. It was Stefan.

''Oh, nothing, everything's ok. I am just going to… your brother to congratulate him.'', she answered.

''Oh. Ok.''

Stefan was her friend as well, but not like Elena. He couldn't really tell when she was lying. The Salvatore brothers were a topic that was never getting old. Details were being added every time someone was telling the story. The general idea was something like that; Stefan was always better than Damon. Better for their parents, better (and luckier) with his girls, better at work. But one day, Damon realized that his brother could not be better at everything. Nature needs balance. There is no such thing as the perfect person. So he decided to work on the one thing he liked since he remembered himself. Astronomy. He did research and finally managed to write a book.

After he published the book, his career started. After almost 6 years, he managed to become NASA's director. And because Stefan didn't currently have a job, Damon hired him. And just like that, Damon became better.

Caroline didn't really like him, not as a person neither as a boss. He was too… bossy. He was giving orders to everyone and he was never satisfied. She wondered what Elena liked on him. His looks, maybe. The truth was that he was quite handsome.

She preferred her executive, Alaric Saltzman. He was Damon's best friend but he was also very different. They were something like her and Elena. Yin and yang. Alaric was always polite with everyone, especially with Jenna, a new scientist who was attracted to Ric right away and so was he. They got together very soon.

Caroline wasn't judging. She believed that if you want to be with someone and that someone wants to be with you, you should not think about ifs or whys. However, she didn't believe in true love. Not really.

She finally arrived at her boss' room. She knocked the door calmly, although she felt ready to explode.

''Come in.'', a voice responded from inside the room. Oddly, Caroline didn't recognize it. It wasn't Damon's neither anyone else's from NASA. She slowly got in.

In the room there were two people. Damon and someone else. That man looked respected. He was wearing a tuxedo, so he looked like someone who didn't belong there.

As always, the room itself got her attention. It was different from any other part of NASA's building. It was round and completely white. There was a desk made of glass, modern and innovated, but that was not what was making her shiver. It was the opposite part of the room. It looked like a lab, but in the middle there was a very big, open to the night sky window, as well as a huge telescope. Someone (aka Damon Salvatore) could stargaze all night. She envied that. And that was just one of the perks of being the director of NASA.

''I was ready to call you, miss Forbes.'', Damon Salvatore said.

''Really?''

''Yes. I wanted to ask you something.''

''I am all ears.'', she said with an ironic tone.

''This is Elijah Mikaelson. He is the manager of the man that is going to travel to Mars. He came here to find a suitable person to train his brother. And I recommended you.'', he finished.

''Me? You recommended me?'', Caroline asked, confused. Damon Salvatore appreciated her work but he certainly had better scientists to recommend. Hell, he had people literally made for that job. She was just helping out. Nothing special.

''Well, Niklaus helped a little with your recommendation.'', Damon answered, looking annoyed.

''Who is Niklaus? And why did he recommend me? How did he recommend me? He doesn't know me.'', Caroline was now smoking with anger. She hated not knowing things. All she wanted was to help. And she was chosen to help. In a very odd way, she might add.

''I might be Niklaus. Niklaus Mikaelson.'' Someone got into the room. English accent. Ths is not happening, Caroline thought. ''I am the one who will travel to Mars, so I believe I have the right to choose my associates.'', he said, offering his hand for a handshake.

''Caroline Forbes. So... you know me how?'', she asked, giving her hand to greet him with a warm handshake, trying to calm down.

''I've heard really great things about you. You are also known out of this building as well, sweetheart.''

Oh no, let it not be one of those womanizers, she thought.

''I respect you and your work, miss Forbes. This is why I requested you to be my guide.'', he said politely.

''This is not a tourist attraction. This is serious. If you decided to travel to Mars to be known, I might disappoint you, Mr. Mikaelson. This will not be some kind of family road trip.'', she reponded not so politely.

''I am fully aware of that. I am not here for the glory, miss Forbes. I am here because I am honoured. I was chosen to be the first man to walk on Mars. But now, I think I have to continue my tour to NASA's building. It was great meeting you, Caroline Forbes.''

''Why don't you accompany him, miss Forbes?'', Elijah Mikaelson asked her.

Now he's a little less respected from me, she thought.

''I'd be happy.'', she responded, walking out of the room with Niklaus by her side.

An odd silence led their way out.

''So... Do you accept my offer?'', he asked to break the ice, as they were moving towards the hallway.

''What offer?'', she asked, rather innocently, trying to buy herself some time.

''The one I and they made to you. To train me and guide me before the big trip.''

''Oh... that offer. I accept.''

She had to admit that curiosity had gotten the best of her. It was a challenge. It was what she wanted from the very beginning. To help with the astronaut's training.

''Thank you. I think that we should skip the tour and get to know each other.''

''Excuse me?''

''We will be together for a year after all, love.''

''Ok. What do you want to know?'', she asked, having the feeling that she could not be completely honest with him. Not right away, at least.

''I have a better idea.'', he responded, ''Let's go eat something.''

_**So... I know it is a different idea. Really different. But I wanted to write something special and space trips have always been a very interesting topic to read and learn about. It is the first chapter, but I really need to know your opinion. So... leave me reviews! They encourage me to continue. Until next time, have a nice day! **_


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